03 Mar, 2007
Ecstacy EcstaNO!
Posted by: AJ In: From Bakla| Paano Ba Maging Bakla| Political Bakla ()
A text message about two gay men caught with the possession of the illegal drug Ecstacy has been circulating in the local gay community recently. While the incident reported in the text message may be true, some details were left out. The origin and truthfulness of the message is questionable due to the bad publicity being thrown at a gay club in Malate. The alleged signatory of the message owns a competing club in Makati.
But the credibility of this message begs the greater question and the challenge being posed to the gay community. The incident should not be all about learning which club we should patronize rather, it should be about being aware of the dangers brought about by the use and sale of the drug.
In using the word “dangers”, I do not only mean it in the physical sense. I do not have the moral ascendancy to preach to everyone to stop using it. I know some people are addicted to it and they are happy with what they’re doing. I myself have an addiction (to cigarettes) that I’m living with. I’m not asking these people to stop taking the pill. It’s their choice. What I’m asking is simply for them to use it responsibly. How? We will get into that later.
If they get caught, I won’t really care about the emotional and physical damage it will cause them. They brought it upon themselves. What I’m concerned about is that if they get caught, it will affect the LGBT community. If more and more gay men get caught with the possession and use of this illegal drug, it will hinder our call for greater acceptance in this society. Politicians who are hell-bent on blocking the passage of House Bill 634 (The Anti-Discrimination Bill) will be happy to use these incidents to their advantage.
The Anti-Discrimination Bill, if enacted, would be the first law providing for the protection of human rights of gay and lesbians in this country. If HB634 becomes a law, it shall pave the way for more laws protecting our rights.
Using the drug responsibly is one of the two options (the other is not using it at all) that users have in order for them to help us in our call for greater state protection of LGBT rights through legislative measures. If these users cannot (or are not willing to) stop using the drug, then I implore them to use it at the comforts of their own homes, lest they want to get caught and suffer the embarrassing consequences of their stupid actions.
Sure they have the right to fry the hell out of their brains, but they don’t have the right to hinder our cause for greater acceptance in the society and the call for protection of our human rights.
Kill yourself, but don’t kill us.
